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Consider examining your router before calling the cable provider the next time your internet goes off. Even if you have a good connection, a shaky router might make you doubt it by losing your modem's signal or making it so weak that it doesn't reach every area in your house. Your router creates the wireless network that your devices join to access the internet. As a result, if it fails, you will be unable to access the internet.
Nothing is more frustrating than experiencing slowness while watching live sports or seeing the dreaded buffering indicator appear on your screen while attempting to upload or download a file. Do you think a dropped call is a big deal?
Try getting a lost signal in the middle of a crucial business conversation or while attempting to record a song.
We've compiled a list of great solutions that intelligently seek quicker, more efficient methods to connect you to the internet. From mesh routers, which can be installed around the house to create a full WiFi network, to standard point-to-point routers, which are kept in a central area in your home, there are many options.
Which Wi-Fi Routers Are the Best?
There are several elements to consider while selecting the best wireless router for your needs; the following are the most essential ones that we examined when compiling this list.
The maximum speed of a wireless router is the most crucial characteristic to consider when purchasing one. Every few years, the technology (chips and antennae) used by wireless routers to build a WiFi network evolves; the most recent standard is WiFi 6, which has a theoretical maximum speed of 11Gbps (gigabits per second). The previous generation WiFi 5 routers have a theoretical maximum speed of 1 Gbps.
Because the bottleneck that limits your maximum speed isn't likely to originate from your router, we propose a mix of WiFi 5 and WiFi 6 wireless routers. Many of the same capabilities are supported by both, including the ability to operate on both the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz frequencies to reduce network congestion when a large number of devices are connected at the same time. Your devices must support the WiFi 6 standard in order to take full advantage of the router's speed. Even newly introduced gadgets aren't in the majority right now.
The internet package you choose from your ISP will also limit your network speed (internet service provider). It makes no difference if your plan's highest speed is 200Mbps (megabits per second) or your router's theoretical fastest speed is five or 25 times that. Getting a WiFi 6 compatible router today, however, ensures you won't have to update for a long time. many years, which is a significant benefit.
Coverage Area: Having a fast wireless router that can reach every room in your house is useless if it can't reach every room in your house. We chose routers with a wide range of coverage, so you won't have to worry about dead zones or weak regions.
We only chose routers that support WPA2, a security standard that verifies whether or not an unauthorized invader has accessed or altered any data traveling over your network because you don't want anyone spying on your network. For optimal results, make sure your WiFi password is highly strong—that is, long, mixed-character (letters, digits, and symbols)—for optimal results.
Ease of Use: Wireless routers had a reputation for being difficult to handle in the past, but things have improved dramatically recently. Using an app on your smartphone, you can change critical settings like your password, enable or disable a firewall, and ban particular devices from accessing the internet on all of the routers in our guide (iOS and Android). It's a lot more convenient than entering into your router and browsing an outdated web interface.
Mesh or point-to-point: There are two types of modern wireless routers: point-to-point and mesh. Traditional point-to-point routers have antennae protruding from the rear and stay linked to a single location in your home.
Mesh wireless routers are more recent; instead of a single router, they often come in sets of two or three, which you install in different sections of your house to form a bigger, stronger network. The kind you pick will be determined by the size of your home—smaller homes may get by with a single router, while bigger homes may benefit from the additional assistance of a mesh network—but there is no right or wrong answer.
Cable Modem vs. WiFi Router: It's crucial to understand the difference between a wireless router and a cable modem. A cable modem connects to your cable or fiber-optic connection to bring the internet into your house.
A wireless router connects to your cable modem and transforms the wired connection into a wireless network—think of your cable modem as the water line that enters your home, and the wireless router as the sprinkler system that distributes the water across your yard.
At all times, point-to-point routers must be linked to your cable modem. Only one of the wireless routers in a mesh router WiFi system needs to be linked to your cable modem; the others can be located anywhere else.
1. The Eero mesh WiFi system is the best overall.
Its most recent three-router setup supports WiFi 5 and can cover a 5,000-square-foot area. It's simple to set up the routers: plug one into your cable modem with an Ethernet connection, and the other two into any other location in your home. The routers will send out a signal to "locate" each other, resulting in a WiFi network that covers the entire home.
The major reason I suggest Eero routers is their performance, which has been good and constant in my experience, as well as their ease of use. Eero's interface is straightforward and well-organized, allowing you to access both basic (like your WiFi password) and advanced (like port forwarding) settings with only a few touches.
Eero regularly releases security and performance upgrades to its routers and schedules them to download in the middle of the night so they don't interfere with your work. You'll get notified if something goes wrong with your network, and you'll be able to diagnose the issue.
If these routers have a flaw, it's that they were produced before the WiFi 6 standard was established, making them less future-proof than other choices in our recommendations.
2. TP-Link Wifi 6 AX1500 Smart WiFi Router LEVEL OF ENTRY
TP-Link makes a variety of Wi-Fi routers, but the AX1500 boasts a lot of features at a low price.
The single-point router supports Wi-Fi 6, with 5GHz band speeds of up to 1.3GBps (gigabytes per second) and 2.4GHz band speeds of up to 300MBps (megabytes per second). TP-Link doesn't provide a range, but with four antennas and Wi-Fi 6, you shouldn't have any problems if you live in an apartment or a single-story home.
Although the AX1500 has excellent security measures that can assist in preventing your network from being hacked, you should still use a very strong password for further security. It comes with a firewall to keep out digital intruders and supports WPA2 encryption. The Tether app from TP-Link lets you control your security settings while also making it simple to set up your router and troubleshoot network difficulties.
The AX1500 is a fantastic place to start your search, whether you're still using the Wi-Fi router that came with your cable modem or wants to upgrade to Wi-Fi 6 to boost your download speeds.
3. THE WORLD'S SMALLEST WIRELESS ROUTER: GOOGLE NEXT WIRELESS ROUTER (2ND GENERATION)
If you want a better Wi-Fi router but don't have a lot of room, Google's Nest WiFi Router is your best chance (2nd Generation).
According to Google, it can cover up to 2200 square feet, but you can link it to additional Nest WiFi Routers to build a mesh network and increase its range even more. The business does not specify the router's maximum speed, but it can connect to 200 devices at once, indicating that it has plenty of bandwidth. Because this router does not support Wi-Fi 6, its speeds will be reduced in comparison to some of our other suggestions.
WPA3, the most recent version of this security standard, is supported by Google's Nest WiFi Router, making it even more difficult for hackers to get access to your network. This feature makes this router a solid option if you're worried about internet security.
This router can be set up and managed using Google's Home app (iOS and Android), which is quite user-friendly. I've used this software to set up many devices, and the procedure has always been simple and quick.
The fact that Google's Nest WiFi Router is also a smart speaker is the final reason to consider it. Google essentially integrated the technology from its first-generation router with its Google Home Mini, which lets you manage smart-home devices, set timers, and receive answers to queries without having to use your hands.
We recommend Google's Nest WiFi Router (2nd Generation) if you require a small Wi-Fi router with a good range that can also serve as a smart-home hub.
4. Linksys Velop Wifi 6 Mesh Router: BEST WIRELESS 6 ROUTER
Linksys' Velop MX5 wireless router is the best option if you want to be on the bleeding edge of technology.
It's a mesh WiFi router, so you can connect numerous MX5s at once, but it's so strong that just one could be enough. On its own, the WiFi 6-enabled router can build a WiFi network covering up to 3,000 square feet. According to Linksys, it offers adequate bandwidth to connect to over 50 devices at once without sacrificing speed.
The MX5 is able to accomplish this because it uses BSS (Basic Service Set), a technology that allows it to automatically manage how your devices connect to the wireless router. It is possible to greatly boost your internet speeds per device by precisely configuring the WiFi channels and frequencies.
If you have more room, you may acquire a pair of MX5 routers, which can cover up to 6,000 square feet and connect to up to 100 devices at the same time. To get the most out of this WiFi 6-enabled router, you'll need the latest and best devices and an extraordinarily fast internet connection, as I indicated before. However, if you refuse to accept anything less than the greatest, there will be little else to complain about.
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